By Circular No. 025 dated 31 August 2026, the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (“MLVT”) has opened the application window for the 2027 Foreign Manpower Quota. All enterprises and factories that employ, or intend to employ, foreign nationals in 2027 must apply through the Foreign Workers Centralized Management System (“FWCMS”, fwcms.mlvt.gov.kh) between 1 September and 30 November 2026.

Quota Cap
Foreign employees are in principle limited to 10% of an enterprise’s Cambodian workforce, comprising office employees (3%), skilled employees (6%) and unskilled employees (1%). Enterprises seeking to employ foreign nationals in excess of this cap must obtain special approval from the MLVT under Prakas No. 277/20 dated 14 August 2020, on the basis that suitably qualified Cambodian nationals cannot be found in sufficient numbers.

Newly Established Enterprises
Enterprises and factories established after the date of the Circular that require foreign labour may apply for the quota immediately upon commencing operations.

Related Obligations
The MLVT has also drawn attention to the following:

– All enterprises and factories are required to link the Labour Automated Central Management System (“LACMS”) with the FWCMS, enabling the automatic generation of employee lists covering both Cambodian and foreign employees.
– All foreign nationals residing and working in Cambodia must apply for a work permit through the FWCMS within 90 calendar days of their first entry into the country.

Penalties for Late Application
Failure to apply for the 2027 quota by the deadline will result in fines imposed by the Labour Inspector ranging from KHR 12.2 million (approximately USD 3,050) to KHR 18 million (approximately USD 4,500), equivalent to 61 to 90 days of the base daily wage, in accordance with Article 369 of the Labour Law and Prakas No. 326 on the Base Daily Wage.

Implementation Considerations
The quota application is an annual obligation that applies to every enterprise with foreign employees, and the penalties for missing the deadline are imposed irrespective of the number of foreign nationals involved. For enterprises whose foreign headcount is limited to a small number of expatriate managers, the obligation is easily overlooked, particularly where the previous year’s application was handled by an agent or a staff member who has since departed.

Approval of the quota may take several weeks, and the quota must be in place before work permits for 2027 can be issued or renewed. Enterprises anticipating an increase in foreign headcount, or whose existing foreign staff already exceed the 10% cap, should factor in the additional time required to obtain special approval under Prakas 277/20. Early application within the window is advisable in either case.

For Assistance
Enterprises employing foreign nationals in Cambodia should confirm that their 2027 quota application is submitted through the FWCMS before 30 November 2026, and should consult their legal or HR advisors where an increase in the quota or special approval is required.